


Light My Fire

by kittenCorrosion



Series: Sweet Life (Tendrew) [1]
Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016), Suspicious Minds
Genre: F/M, First Meeting, Joyride - Freeform, Meet-Cute, Protesting, a little flirting, andrew is an idiot, but that's why we love him
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-20
Updated: 2019-05-20
Packaged: 2020-03-08 09:13:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,604
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18891601
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kittenCorrosion/pseuds/kittenCorrosion
Summary: Terry Ives is young and angry and finally finding her footing during her first weeks of college. An anti-war protest seems like a good place to start, until it gets a little out of hand. But sometimes the risk is worth the reward.(aka a bad summary about a maybe-not-cute-but-fun meeting between two people)





	Light My Fire

**Author's Note:**

> guess who got halfway through a new chapter of Don't Make Me Say Goodbye and then got stuck and wrote this instead?
> 
> it's me.
> 
> anyways, if you're here, i love you with all of my heart. thanks for loving tendrew with me.

Bloomington had always felt so big and exciting when Terry was growing up. Their house was a good forty minute drive south, so heading into town for special occasions with her parents had always been an exciting affair when she’d been younger.

It was part of the reason she found the small cluster of fellow students standing outside of City Hall so… disappointing. If it was such a big city, why was the turnout so terrible?

There couldn’t have been more than twenty people, along with a few fake bodies lying sprawled on the ground, in store-bought soldier costumes, splattered in what was probably paint or maybe… ketchup? She took a step forward to get a closer look but a hand on her elbow made her pause and she turned to look over her shoulder at her roommate. A mousy-haired girl named Dana who she’d been paired up with just a few days ago but who had been proving to be nothing but wet blanket.

“Terry, this—” Her watery-blue eyes paused on one of the fake bodies that was baking on the sidewalk in the late August heat and she clenched her keys in her sweaty palm. “This doesn’t really seem, um, fun.”

“I didn’t say it would be fun, I said it would be exciting,” Terry protested with a shrug. “And honestly it isn’t that exciting either but it’s not about having _fun_. It’s about making a point.”

“Well—”

Right then someone raised their fist and let out a cry of “Hell no! We won’t go!” and the entire small crowd burst into shouts, voices quickly joining the first outcry until the chant was bouncing off the front of the tall government building. Terry didn’t wait for another weak protest from her roommate, quickly shaking off the hand on her elbow and bounding across the street, making her way up the block to join them. Every voice counted, especially in a crowd so small. Her heart started to race, a burst of excitement filling her chest as she got closer to the crowd of young people, glancing at the “dead body” that was lying face down less than a foot away as she passed by it, still curious if the red splatters were paint or—

The hand of the fake soldier reached out and lightly grabbed her ankle and Terry couldn’t help but let out a shriek, jumping backwards out of the soft grip. An all-too-amused laugh barked out of the undead body as it rolled over, exposing the face of her attacker.

Terry barely resisted the urge to give him a solid kick in the ribs, instead crossing her arms and scowling down at him. “Jesus Christ, are you _trying_ to get murdered?!”

The young man grinned up at her, pushing himself up onto his hands. “I mean, if it was by you, I guess I wouldn’t mind as much.” He extended his hand toward her, head tilted impishly. “I’m Andrew. Sorry for scaring you that bad. You have nice ankles.”

“I-I—You’re—” She spluttered at his audacity to be so casual, but then shook her head and took the offered hand, deciding that if he was here for the protest he couldn’t be _that_ bad. There had to be good intentions in there somewhere. “I’m Terry.”

Instead of just shaking her hand like she expected, he used it to pull himself upright, jerking her down until she caught her balance at the last second, succeeding in propelling him up. He stood up to his full height, a good six inches taller than her, still grinning. The irritated yelp caught in her throat as he tilted his chin down and she got a better look at him, the sun shining fully on his face under the fake helmet. Suddenly her heart was pounding again, but this time it wasn’t because of the thrill of the protest.

His neck and cheek were covered in the red substance that she was now certain was ketchup, and she couldn’t help but notice his nicely squared jawline, offset by longer nose and that widely-stretched grin. He reached up and took off the helmet, sweat shining on his brow. His hair looked like it was growing out of a church-boy cut, the longer, messy locks just starting to curl around his ears.

Terry felt the urge to muss his hair, knowing his ridiculously handsome face would look better if the ridiculous, forced side-part was gone.

It took her a second to realize she was gaping up at him, shutting her mouth and quickly withdrawing her hand out his grip. She took a step back, sniffing, shoulders tense. “Why would you use ketchup? That’s stupid _and_ a waste.”

“It attracts flies, makes it look more real,” he replied, cocking an eyebrow, not even close to apologetic. “Sorry you feel so strongly about ketchup?”

 _Just because he’s cute doesn’t mean he gets to grab your leg_ , she chided herself.

“Don’t go around grabbing people! You’ll get punched or something, for good reason,” she retorted, “and probably sunstroke from laying in the sun, too. It’s just plain stupid. Unless you like being an idiot for fun.”

It was a little harsher than she’d intended but it was true, at least.

His big, stupid, handsome grin stretched across his face again. “I love being an idiot for fun, actually. Guess I was lucky it was you.” There was a shout from the crowd, where another fake soldier was standing, clearly calling for Andrew and he gave Terry one more grin. “Time to go be stupid over there. Also, your friend just left.”

He pointed over her shoulder and Terry spun around just in time to see Dana’s car pull away, the blue Chevy’s tail lights leaving her in the dust. “Shit,” she hissed, staring forlornly for a second before turning back to the crowd. Others had arrived, joining the crowd and almost doubling it, and Andrew had disappeared amongst them.

Terry couldn’t help but blink, caught off guard by the strange young man. She’d hoped calling him an idiot would throw him off and make him show his true colors, but the fact that’d he’d acknowledged his stupidity and seemed to not care…

He’d _enjoyed_ her attempt to chide him, and it was childish but also endearing. Not to mention his looks.

Terry gulped, not wanting to think about him and his cute face, walking up to the back off the protest and raising her hand, letting herself chant along, starting conversations with the people around her about how terrible the draft was. The sun was finally starting to set, allowing the cool shade to envelop the crowd as they grew louder and angrier. Those inside the building began to leave, dodging eye contact with the students, some even shielding themselves with their briefcases as they hastened towards their parked cars. The crowd began to get louder and louder as the minutes ticked by.

“Hell no! We won’t go! Hell no! We won’t go!”

The sound was soon deafening and Terry gave in to her anger, letting the words scream out, fist raised in the air as she thought of all the young men who would never come home. The images she’d seen on TV, of the wounded and dying, stuck a million miles away, fighting a war they didn’t want and hadn’t signed up for. And the innocents killed in the crossfire, burnt alive by napalm, naked and crying, unable to get away from the bloodshed.

It made her blood boil and her heart _ache_.

_Woooop!_

There was a sudden flash of red and blue lights and Terry turned, spotting half a dozen police cruisers pulling up along the side of the street and parking, efficient and precise. Her heart dropped into her stomach and she sucked in a breath, backing up from the edge of the crowd. She didn’t particularly care if she got arrested doing something like this, but Becky would, and if she fucked up and got kicked out of Indiana University only two weeks after starting and leaving home, there was no way her sister would let her out of her sight for another five years.

“Alright! This is how this is going to go—” One of the policemen had a bullhorn, but Terry was already on the other side of the crowd, and there was shout, and then suddenly everyone was pushing and shoving and _yelling_. She was pulled along in the throng, almost tripping over her feet, battered by heavy, pushing bodies. There wasn’t enough air, an elbow jammed into her ribs and she stumbled, gasping feeling herself fall—

A large hand grabbed her shoulder, pulling her back, and then a second hand grabbed her wrist and she was sure she’d been caught, about to be tossed into a police car and driven to the station where she would have to call Becky to bail her out. Her life was over and it had barely just started.

“Here, quick, follow me!”

Her arm was pulled forward instead of twisted behind her back, and she caught sight of the fake camouflage, dark hair, light skin. The grin was gone, and in its place was grim determination as he led her out of the mass of protestors also running, around the side of the City Hall building and across a broad lawn. There were still shouts from behind but Andrew didn’t stop, only slowing to make sure she could keep up. There was a treeline ahead—one of the richer neighborhood’s attempts at privacy—and the two students disappeared into the wooded area, coming out onto a brightly lit street after stumbling through the darkness. A shiny, olive-green muscle car was parked on the other side of the street, and Andrew quickly ran to it, leaving Terry on the sidewalk as she hesitated.

“You’re not going to steal that, are you?” she accused, wondering if she needed to bolt back into the woods to avoid being charged with car theft.

Andrew turned, giving her a funny look, reaching into the pocket of his soldier costume and pulling out a key that was attached to a leather keychain, the Plymouth symbol that matched the car flashing in the streetlight. “No?”

Heat flooded Terry’s cheeks and she quickly dodged his gaze as an amused smirk tugged at his lips, his eyes dancing. Well that was rude. Oops.

“Oh, do I look like a thief?” he teased as she walked across the street to join him.

She walked right up to him, crossing her arms, trying to ignore her embarrassment, cocking a brow. “You look like a scoundrel,” she shot back.

Immediate mock hurt filled his face. “Would a scoundrel save the pretty girl he just met from being arrested and then offer her a ride back to her place?” His eyes—they were brown in the middle with the prettiest halo of green on the edges, Terry noticed—flicked down to the lanyard around her wrist that her dorm room key was attached to. “You go to IU, right? That’s kind of a long walk. Unless your friend came back?”

Terry winced. “She’s definitely just my roommate. And not a very good one.”

“Clearly.”

“What about your friends? The other soldiers?” she shot back.

“Oh, we all drove separate, Dave said it could get rowdy and the cops might show up and it would be better if we all split. He’s the one who organized the whole thing. That’s why I was recruited…” he looked down at the camo outfit and gave it a tug. “But I don’t ditch my friends. Unlike some people.”

Terry decided in that moment that she very much wanted to be his friend. Becky was always warning her to be careful, to not trust strange men, but the way Andrew’s grin lit up his whole face, his brutal honesty, and how he called out Dana’s bad behavior…

Maybe it was still a bad idea, but it was definitely better than walking home.

“Alright, you’ve convinced me,” she said breezily, walking around the front of the car, letting her fingers trace over the smooth, polished hood. “Why kind of Plymouth is this? It’s new, right?”

Andrew had just unlocked his door, glancing up in surprised, an appreciative gleam filling his eyes. “It’s a Barracuda. ‘69.” He slid into the driver’s seat and then reached across to unlock her door, opening it from the inside and waiting for her climb inside.

The interior was nice too, brown leather seats, the dash and gearshift still shiny. It even smelled nice. “How’d you get the newest model so soon?”

“My dad has a buddy in Indy who works at a dealership. This was my motivation to graduate and get into college. My parents don’t particularly want me in ‘Nam.” He reached out to lovingly adjust the rearview mirror, then glanced over at Terry. “Not that I _want_ to go. Hell no. And I don’t mind school, but I mean, if they knew that then I wouldn’t have this car.”

“Isn’t that kind of manipulative? Making your parents get you a whole new car?” Her brows flew up. _Jesus, his parents must have some kind of money._

“I mean, I paid for half of it, I put in the work. Got all As too. I’m not totally useless,” he snorted, but then nodded amiably. “But yeah, it is.”

She shook her head. “And you’re okay with that?”

“Would you be okay with walking back to your dorm tonight? Because that’s would have happened if I didn’t have this car.” Terry didn’t know what to say to that but he continued anyways. “If I’d been taking the car away from someone who needed it or wasting my parents’ money, maybe it would be terrible. But some bigshot executive asshole probably would have ended up buying it and let it sit in his garage and waste its potential.”

Right then he turned the key and the engine roared to life, purring happily as he shifted it into drive. He threw her a joyous grin and Terry automatically clenched the seat as she understood his meaning.

“And _that_ would be terrible,” he finished.

His foot hit the gas and the Barracuda roared again as it took off from the curb. Terry was pushed back in her seat as they accelerated, a soft shriek leaving her mouth when he rounded a corner. She wasn’t sure how fast they were going, but it was definitely over the speed limit, and her heart started to pound as Andrew shifted again, racing out of the neighborhood and onto one of the main roads.

“Do you mind if I take you the long way?” He almost had to yell. “It’s more fun to drive and there’s less cops!”

“Sure!” she shouted, wanting to avoid any and all cops if possible. The chances of him slowing down seemed slim.

There was a rather sharp turn that jerked her in her seat, and then they were racing to the highway that ran around the edge of the town and headed towards Indianapolis. Andrew shifted, the car humming low before revving up, speeding them down the road, passing other cars with liquid ease. Her heart was still pounding, but as they zoomed along she began to relax, taking a deep breath and sitting back, watching the world pass by. It had been so long since she’d sat in a passenger seat with someone behind the wheel who truly knew their car, how each piston and gear worked, listening to the engine like a heartbeat. She glanced over at Andrew, noting the control and precision in each of his movements, relaxing even more and beginning to enjoy it instead. Like she had when she’d been little and her dad would take her and Becky out for ice cream and then race along the highways, making them laugh with his speed and teasing.

Up ahead was the exit to Hawkins, the same exit that would take her towards her house and a particularly good stretch of highway that was usually abandoned.

“Take this exit,” she blurted, pointing. “Trust me.”

Andrew barely glanced at her, quickly changing lanes and then slowing as they headed off the highway, coming to a stop at the intersection. He looked at her for direction and she pointed again. “Go right.”

“You want to go to Hawkins?”

“No, I want to drive on the S-bend that’s half a mile down this road on the way to Hawkins.” She couldn’t hide her grin as she started to roll her window down, wanting to feel the wind. “Or more specifically, I want _you_ to drive on the S-bend.”

His entire face lit up and the smile she decided looked best on him stretched across his face. “Oh, I like you.”

He turned and then they took off, flying down the dim highway, only the Barracuda’s bright headlights guiding their way. The bend was quickly approaching, signs warning them to slow whizzing past, but Andrew didn’t hesitate, keeping his speed as the asphalt began to twist, the inertia making Terry sway in her seat. She had her hand out the window and let out a whoop, letting the cool night air blow across her face and tangle her long hair around her head, eyes closing as excitement pounded through her veins again. It felt so good to be alive.

She felt free, forgetting the ache that lived in her chest when she thought of her dead parents, of the worry when she thought of Becky, alone in that big house. The uncertainty of her future, if she could keep up her grades and make it through college. The fear for her generation and the country they lived in. All of it faded away as she let her hair ripple around her face, speeding through the night so fast that none of the doubts could catch up.

Too quickly they began to slow, and she took a deep breath, opening her eyes as they approached a driveway and Andrew pulled in, then backed out, turning them around. This time he didn’t rev the engine, instead transitioning into a comfortable cruise, his shoulders relaxing as they hit the S-bend again.

“I didn’t know this was out here,” he told her, glancing her way.

Their eyes caught and she noticed there was something different in the way his slanted. A flush warmed her cheeks and she shrugged. “I lived out that way, closer to Hawkins.”

“Oh, you’re not from Bloomington?”

“No, my parents had this little white farmhouse. It’s been in the family for like three generations. My sister lives there now, but we went to Hawkins for school since it was a shorter drive. I’m assuming you _are_ from Bloomington?”

“Yeah, born and raised. I was wondering why I hadn’t seen you around town before but that makes sense.” They had made it back into town, shadows dancing across her lap as they passed under each streetlight, making it easier to see Andrew’s eager, honest face. “You should come over to my place and hang out sometime.”

“Do you live at home?” she guessed.

“Nah, me and my buddy Dave rent an apartment, it’s just a few blocks from campus. I can introduce you to some cool people, if you want.” Terry must not have looked convinced because he continued. “I’ve known pretty much everyone since high school, they’re cool cats, I promise. _Way_ cooler than your roommate who abandons you at rallies,” he needled. “It would be fun. You should come.”

“Maybe I should,” she conceded.

If they were the kind of people who liked to organize protests and were as loyal and kind as Andrew, she couldn’t imagine them being bad. And it was true, she needed friends. And maybe a new roommate too.

Plus, spending more time with Andrew sounded like _such_ a good idea.

They’d made their way onto campus and he pulled up to drop-off area closest to her dorm, shifting into park next to the curb and then reaching over to the glove compartment and pulling out a notepad and a pen. He scribbled on it, ripped the paper off, and handed it to her with a pleased half-smile.

“Give me a call and I’ll pick you up if you want. I wouldn’t mind you showing me some more good roads.”

Terry glanced at the paper, noting the phone number and the name _Andrew Rich_ scrawled across it. So he _was_ rich. A Rich. The irony made her smile and she looked over at him as she opened the car door, sliding out.

“I think I just might. And I’m Terry Ives, by the way,” she said with flirty lilt. “I’m in the directory, if you need to get a hold of me first. Thanks for the ride.”

She shut the door behind her but the window was still rolled down. “Good night, Terry Ives!”

It was said with an equally flirty tone, but he didn’t give her the chance to respond as he revved his engine as loud as possible and then squealed out of the drop-off, making the few students walking by all turn and look. Her cheeks flushed and she shook her head, able to imagine the ridiculous smirk that she _knew_ was on his face.

For a second she just stood there, staring after him until the red glow of the Barracuda’s tail lights vanished around a corner.

 _What an idiot_ , she couldn’t help but think as she turned towards the dorm, rolling her eyes. _An absolute idiot._

But she was smiling.

**Author's Note:**

> i had fun writing this and i love when writing is fun and not like pulling out a splinter. tendrew just gets me. i'll never get over them.
> 
> also if you just came out of the game of thrones finale—i'm sorry and i hope this helps. you've been through a lot. it's all in the past now. look ahead to the imminent arrival of stranger things season three and forget your old worries so you can focus on the new worries about what's going to happen. 
> 
> much better :)
> 
> anyways, thanks again, hope to see you soon with some fresh mileven.
> 
> -g
> 
> p.s. find me on instagram @ kittencorrosion if you want


End file.
